“Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog” the staple of American culture, a symbol of freedom and are arguably one of the best foods invented. What’s America without barbecues, fireworks and most importantly hot dogs”
To know what makes a good hot dog you have to know what makes a hot dog so great:
• How it is cooked:
Hot dogs can be cooked in many ways like on the grill which is the classic way, fried which is arguably the best way and worst of all boiled
• Type of bun:
There’s lots of variations of buns to use with your hot dogs like brioche, white, Hawaiian, and even whole wheat. There’s also two ways for the bun to be cut, on the top or on the side. The bun you choose can drastically change your hot dog experience
• Type of hot dog:
Hot dogs aren’t actually made of pets. Traditionally hot dogs consist of pork or beef and occasionally even a mixture of the two. There’s also cheesy dogs, mini dogs and corn dogs which shouldn’t be considered a hot dog. The shape/width of your hot dog in comparison to the bun can greatly impact the taste of it so it’s very important to make sure you have a good ratio.
Now a big argument in the hot dog industry is what to top it with. Ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, chili, coleslaw, cheese and pickles are some of the most common toppings. Personally I think a classic hot dog with just ketchup is the way to go, it’s simple. Sometimes it just really depends hot dog you pair it with and where it’s from,
(side note: a hot dog is not a sandwich)
The Lehigh Valley is a hotdog hotspot with tons of great restaurants like Pott’s, Mad Dog’s, Yocco’s, Nathan’s, Vassi’s, and my personal favorite Jimmy’s.
I spoke to Micheal Fauerbach, owner of Belvidere Bagel and a food expert. He gave me a keen insight on all the best hot dog restaurants in the area:
“Potts Doggy’s in Nazareth staple of Nazareth. Grilled on a flat top and steamed in the to-go bag. A must when in Nazareth. Chili cheese bacon is my fav.
Jimmy’s Hot Dog in New Jersey over the bridge. I still count this as a part of the Lehigh Valley. It’s a stone throw away and the home of the mustard onion pickle dog. Deep fried in peanut oil. Everything dog is a must.
Willy Joe’s in Allentown. This hot dog place is filled with history and is a timeless classic while in the Allentown area. Mustard chili onion is the go-to. Add cheese for another level.
Yocco’s Hotdogs. A lot of people give Yocco’s a bad rap. They do the dogs special with a secret sauce. I usually get chili cheese onion. Great dog and amongst the hate from others I still love a Yocco’s dog.”
I also spoke to hot dog enthusiast Rick Brown on his opinion of the best dog in the area, he said: “Mad Dog Hot Dogs and Sugar Shack in Macungie is by far the best hot dog around specifically the blue Hawaiian.”
Because of the variety of wonderful hot dog places in the area everyone has such unique opinions on which one is the superior choice.
Along with there being so many good restaurants in the area, school snack stands are a hidden gem when it comes to finding a good hot dog. I visited seven different school snack stands in the area and rated their hot dogs on a 1-10 scale.
- Catasauqua 8.0
- Salisbury 7.9
- Wilson 7.8
- Palmerton 5.2
- Lehigh university 5.2
- Northern Lehigh 5.0
As Jenifer Coolidge would say “You look like the Fourth of July! Makes me want a hot dog real bad!” Hot dogs are an incredible and beloved food that every American should try at least once in their life and the Lehigh Valley is the perfect place for that
